His wife followed him shortly afterward and took a job at the base in Riverside, California, working for a colonel so the couple wouldn't be apart.

He was discharged as a sergeant from the Air Force in 1952. That year, LeBlanc and his wife moved back to New York, where they settled in Brooklyn. His older brother, Robert, an NYPD detective first grade working in the 69th Precinct in Brooklyn at the time, persuaded LeBlanc to join the force in 1953. LeBlanc did and retired in 1973 as a plainclothes detective from the 60th Precinct in Brooklyn.

Richie Ornstein, vice president of the New York Veteran Police Association, knew for LeBlanc more than two decades and served alongside him when LeBlanc was president of the organization for more than 40 years.

Ornstein described LeBlanc as a "super gentleman" and well-respected cop.

"Donald was a heroic cop making quite a few thousand arrests when he was on the force," Ornstein said. Ornstein credited LeBlanc, who stepped down from the police association two years ago, with bringing fitness legend Jack LaLanne to the Veteran Police Association, naming him fitness director.

"Donald kept the organization extremely tight," Ornstein said, adding LeBlanc was "instrumental" in getting cost-of-living adjustments added to the pensions of rank-and-file officers as president of the organization.

Gerard LeBlanc said he admired his father since he was a child and sought to emulate the way his dad carried himself.

LeBlanc recalled not letting his father in the house one time because his undercover stings would make him look unrecognizable.